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Single Idea 14510

[from 'Primitive Thisness and Primitive Identity' by Robert Merrihew Adams, in 9. Objects / F. Identity among Objects / 7. Indiscernible Objects ]

Full Idea

Similar to the argument from spatial dispersal, we can argue against the Identity of Indiscernibles from temporal dispersal. It seems there could be a cyclic universe, ..and thus there could be distinct but indiscernible events, separated temporally.

Gist of Idea

Two events might be indiscernible yet distinct, if there was a universe cyclical in time

Source

Robert Merrihew Adams (Primitive Thisness and Primitive Identity [1979], 3)

Book Reference

'Metaphysics - An Anthology', ed/tr. Sosa,E. /Kim,J. [Blackwell 1999], p.176


A Reaction

See Idea 14509 for spatial dispersal. If cosmologists decided that a cyclical universe was incoherent, would that ruin the argument? Presumably there might even be indistinguishable events in the one universe (in principle!).

Related Idea

Idea 14509 If we ignore differences between water drops, we still distinguish them by their location [Kant]